Animorphs 54: The Final
by TheVillianStratigest
Summary: Jake sends Tobias along with Rachel aboard the Blade-ship. But no one knows who will win or lose, or live...
1. The Bladeship

**Chapter 1: Tobias:**

* * *

My name is Tobias.

And I'm a hawk aboard an Alien vessel.

I knew what was coming. I had seen in in Jake's eyes, as he had given us the order. It wasn't exactly an order but he knew we would do it.

I didn't want to do it at first. I had a life to look foreword to at the end of the war.

At least I thought I had.

What Jake sent us to do was certain death. I despised him for it, but I could not deny the logic of it, the necessity.

You know what? I don't think I would have done it originally. Not without some very big persuasion.

But I had to. Because she agreed to go. How could I let her risk her life for her friends on her own?

Because Jake hadn't just sent me to certain death. He sent Rachel. His cousin, and probably the only person who had ever loved me.

Jake gave Rachel the job because she of all of us was the most capable. He gave me the job to make sure Rachel succeeded.

We were an insurance policy, if you will. Jake pretended otherwise but Rachel and I knew. He pretended to hope that he wouldn't have to use us. I hated him for that. He couldn't face the reality.

See, if it were just me, maybe I wouldn't begrudge Jake, the leader of the Animorphs, so much. It was because of Rachel.

But Rachel said that she didn't grudge him at all, and despite all my efforts to persuade her otherwise, she refused to abandon her duty. Of course, there was no way I was going to leave her alone after that.

But as much as I hated it, there was a point: this was a war. A war that we had to win at all costs. We were up against far worse enemies than humanity had ever seen.

Our enemy were the Yeerks, a parasitic alien species that thrive by gaining control of a host's brain and taking control of the hosts body. Living as the host. They've taken many species from other planets. They've taken the Hork Bajir, a peaceful but deadly species from far away, used as the Yeerks shock troops.

They've even taken thousands of humans as hosts. They are the hosts. A human body, perfectly normal, controlled by a grey slug wrapped around the host's brain, controlling its movements. Imprisoning the host in its own mind.

We were at the final stages of the war. We, the Animorphs had resisted for so long. Three years. Three years, four human teenagers, one nothlit hawk ( that's me, long story), and one stranded Andalite.

We've taken massive strides fighting the Yeerks. Only recently, we destroyed their main pool, killing thousands of them. They retaliated by razing our hometown to the ground.

Jake's brother, Tom, is a controller. He's at the head of the Yeerk Command, second only to the Visser himself. But he chose to help us. He betrayed the Yeerk empire, not out personal goodness, but for his own ambition. Because he has the very piece of technology that helped us resist the Yeerks so far.

He has the morphing cube. Now the Yeerks can acquire animals and morph into them, just as we could.

Now Jake and the other Animorphs controlled the Yeerk Mothership, the Pool ship, currently housing 20,000 unhosted Yeerks and the command center of the Visser himself.

Tom's Yeerk and his allies controlled the Visser's own personal Blade-Ship, which was much faster and deadlier than the Pool ship.

As far as Tom's Yeerk knew, Jake was dead, and all that was left was the now defeated Visser.

He thought he had won.

He was wrong.

We knew what we were supposed to do.

We were right on the Blade Ship.

We were going to kill Tom, and stop the Blade ship.

* * *

Chapter 2:

We were two fleas on Tom's head. Fleas can't see much, especially in the dark. They're absolutely nothing like the sight of a Red-tailed hawk, for example.

Unfortunately, a Red Tailed Hawk would not be an appropriate disguise morph at this point. But we needed the flea morphs no longer.

We jumped down and hit the deck. As we did, we became more aware of the Controllers speaking to each other, in a panic. Something had gone wrong, until Tom's Yeerk silenced them, stating it was not their problem.

We heard enough. Tom's crew had just discovered what happened aboard the Pool Ship. Jake had just given the order for the Yeerk Pool to be emptied. He just sentenced almost 20,000 sentient beings to die.

Twenty Thousand and Two, I thought bitterly.

As Rachel and I demorphed, her to her human body, and mine to a hawk, we began to hear them aboard the Bladeship. I heard him speak. The defeated Visser aboard the captured Pool Ship, and Tom exchanged pleasantries, when something made Tom stop cold.

He saw the Tiger right beside Visser One.

'' You're not dead!'', he screamed at Jake from the viewscreen.

I've noticed as much the Visser said dryly.

Tom didn't waste a second. '' Bring us around to target the Pool Ship's bridge! Do it now!''

This was it. I looked towards Rachel.

It hit me then. This was the end for us. This was the last time we could be together.

((Rachel)), I said.

'' I know, Tobias,'' she whispered back.

There was so much I wanted to say right then.

But there was no time.

((I love you)), Rachel, I thought-spoke to her at last.

I saw her smile. '' I know, me too, ''

Then came Jake's command. ((Rachel, Tobias, Go.))

We began to morph. Rachel morphed into her favorite battle morph: the Grizzly bear. I knew my hawk morph wouldn't work so well, but neither would a Hork Bajir. We had killed too many of them over the last few year.

I became a Polar bear.

((It's been an honor, fighting by your side Rachel)), I said.

I was not completely morphed when I heard a controller shout. '' Animorph!''

Several heads turned. I completed my morph.

And then Rachel, her Grizzly morph almost as large as my own Polar Bear, stepped out of the shadows.

((Wrong.)) She coldly corrected the Yeerk, ((Two Animorphs!))

And simultaneously, we charged.

* * *

Chapter 3:

Rachel went straight for Tom. She rammed him into the View screen, and sent him falling. Not enough to take him out but the bridge was our concern.

And me, I went straight for the rest of the crew, scattering them with ease, I roared and brought both paws down on a consul. The glass smashed, the metal crumpled under the weight.

 _ **TSEWWWWW**_

((Aahh!)) Rachel!

Someone had fired a Dracon Beam. I spun towards Rachel- there was a burn mark, right across her shoulder.

((I'm alright)), she said.

I saw red. _**RAWWWWWR**_!

I spun to my right and spotted the controller, her Dracon Gun out.

'' No shooting!'' Tom yelled. '' You'll destroy the bridge! Morph you idiots, morph!''

I ignored him. I charged the other controller. She would pay for that. She screamed but my paw shot out and her Dracon gun went flying.

WHAM

I struck the Controller with full force. She crumpled to the ground.

Behind me, I heard a loud crunch of metal impacting the deck.

((I think I just destroyed their main weapons station!)), Rachel said cheerfully.

But we were losing time. Already, the remaining controllers were beginning to morph, though they were at half shape yet. Tom himself was starting to morph, but he wasn't our main concern yet.

I went for the bridge, and proceeded to smash more consoles. The more we destroyed the bridge, the less of a chance this Blade-ship had of escaping.

Rachel was alright. The crumpled body of what looked like to be a half-morphed Leopard lay behind her.

But the other Controllers were finally morphed. In front of us was a giant Polar bear, equal to my size, flanked by a Lioness and a Cape buffalo.

The Polar bear alone was the equal of either me or Rachel's grizzly. And don't underestimate the Cape Buffalo either, those guys could kill you with a single ram of their horns if they have enough momentum. Either of us could take the lioness by herself but if she stuck with her friends, the fight was only going to get more difficult.

Where was Tom?

((You scared?)) Rachel taunted the Yeerks. They didn't answer.

((Rachel, I'll take the Buffalo and the Lioness. Can you handle the Polar Bear?)) I asked privately.

If we defeated these controllers here, and Tom, we would have complete access to the bridge.

((Let's do it!)) She said back.

And we charged.

The cape buffalo didn't expect to be charged like that. I was upon him immediately, and I struck the top of his head. He staggered back.

Meanwhile, Rachel had charged straight for the Polar bear in the middle. 800 pounds of grizzly crashed into the Yeerk, and down he went. Then Rachel withdrew her right paw, extended her claws, and in a move no real bear had learned, drove them like daggers into the Controller's chest, right where the heart was. Then, before he even comprehended the shock, she struck him again, this time on his head. And then again.

Meanwhile, I struck the cape buffalo again, and this time my claws ripped open its left shoulder. The Yeerk bellowed in agony.

And then the Lioness struck. As I was distracted, it pounced on my side, landing on my upper body, just out of reach of my paws, clawing at my face, my neck, like a crazed Alley cat. Trust me, I know what that's like.

 _ **RAWRR**_!

I swung a paw but the cat dodged, and pounced again. It got a hold of my shoulders and neck and started biting and clawing madly.

 _WHAM_

I had wasted too much time trying to get the lioness off me. The cape buffalo wasn't as badly hurt as I had thought, and it took advantage to charge and ram me in the gut. If he had full momentum, that might have killed me. Even so, it crushed the air out of my lungs. I staggered to the ground.

 _WHAM_

The buffalo rammed me again, and this time I felt my ribs break.

Things would have gone very badly if I was alone.

But Rachel came to my rescue.

The Grizzly's bellowing roar was the only warning the buffalo had. Rachel brought both her paws smashing down on the buffalo's hind-quarters, and I heard the sound of bones breaking. The buffalo bellowed but he was Rachel's meat now. She grabbed him, mercilessly digging her claws into his flesh, until his neck was in range. ((YAAAA!)) yelled Rachel.

 _ **RAAAWWWRR** _ went her Grizzly morph.

The buffalo bellowed. (( NO, please don't!)), The yeerk begged, using his host's voice in thought-speak.

Rachel brought her grizzly jaws down on the buffalo's neck and tore out it's throat.

Meanwhile, I recovered my strength. Enraged at being caught by surprise, the lioness snarled and pounced on Rachel's chest. But I rose up and swiftly grabbed the Lioness, yanking it off Rachel, as its claws flailed madly.

I hurled the Lioness into a wall. Then, before it could recover, I struck it once, twice. She dropped with a thud. I could hear no breathing.

((Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!)) Rachel cheered.

But our celebration was quickly cut off.

((CROCODILE!)) Jake screamed from the view-screen. ((Tom! He's a Crocodile! Rachel, look out! Tom!))

Tom had completely morphed while we were busy fighting his friends. He had morphed a massive crocodile, about 15 feet long. His beady eyes watched us.

((You're too late.)) He snarled, ((I have my entire crew up and ready. Reinforcements are already on their way. Curse Jake for this pitiful attempt! It will NOT happen AGAIN!))

And he charged.

For such a heavy, clumsy looking Reptile, Crocodiles can run extremely fast, with a top speed of 40 miles per hour. That's faster than most humans can run. And those jaws have a crushing power that make a polar bear's jaws look like a set of false teeth.

Rachel dropped on all fours but even that wasn't enough to prepare her for Tom.

 _ **SNAP**_

Tom's jaws closed on Rachel's front right limb, just above the paw, and he gave a vicious jerk.

The sound of tearing flesh and tendon, along with Rachel's subsequent subsequent scream of agony rang through my head.

((Die Human!)) The Yeerk shrieked as he let go, and began to crawl on top of her, hoping to bite out her neck.

He turned his back on me.

 _ **ROARR**_!

I barreled into Tom, knocking him off Rachel, and sending him skidding over the metal floor.

Unfortunately for Tom, his underbelly was exposed. The backside is protected by scales. A crocodiles belly is not.

He realized this exactly one second after I did. His limbs flailed madly, as he attempted to right himself but I was upon him. I bellowed, and struck the flailing crocodile, again and again, and I started biting at its throat.

Cold reptilian blood covered my fur but I didn't notice. I was too focused on Tom. I brought my paws down again and again, crushing bones, ripping out muscle and spilling blood.

Finally, I stopped.

 _ **ROAAAAR**_!

((Tobias?)) Rachel asked me.

I didn't answer her at first. I just kept breathing, until my heart slowed to normal, as I stared at the lifeless crocodile.

Finally, I turned away.

Rachel had already demorphed. She was fine. No mangled limbs. No blood spattered fur. No Dracon beam mark.

I became aware of how much pain I was in. I was scratched, battered, bitten, bleeding. My ribs were still broken. It hurt to breath. It hurt to do anything, but the adrenaline of the battle had kept my mind off the pain. Now that the battle was over, the agony was unbelievable. To think I could move at all was incredible. To do battle again was impossible.

Motionlessly, I demorphed.

I was a hawk again. Rachel was human.

((We did it)), I said softly.

She shook her head. '' No. We didn't stop them yet. Remember what Tom said?"

My heart sank. She was right. Even though we had stopped Tom, his crew could still pilot the Blade-ship. They still had the Escafil device.

'' We can't let them get away'', she said determinedly.

((How?)) I asked. As I spoke, I began to morph again- this time to Andalite. The time for brute force was no longer needed. For the next battle, I needed all the lethal speed I could get.

The door to the Blade-ship's hallway slid open with a pleasant beep.

A Hork Bajir and a Leopard stepped in, followed by at least 10 other fully morphed controllers.

I was still not completely morphed.

((Eslin!)) said one of the Yeerks, I didn't know which, ((what happened?))

The Leopard scanned the room. At the six bodies. At the smashed up consoles.

((Who did this?)) asked the same controller as he spotted the dead crocodile.

'' You're too late, Yeerks.'' Rachel. She had picked up a Dracon gun off the floor and kept it pointed at the Controllers.

((Impressive fighting, humans,)) Noted one of the other Yeerks, ((But for nothing. You will not leave this ship alive.))

'' No, let me tell you something, kitty", said Rachel, ''You will never get this Blade-ship out to space."

((Why? Do you believe we will allow you to pilot this space-craft?))

'' That would be nice'', Rachel admitted.

I saw out of the corner of my eye a human Controller step out into the visibility of the hallway, Dracon gun out.

 _TSEWWW_

 _TSEWWWW_

((AAAHHH!)) I cried out. The Dracon beam had missed my chest, but had struck my Andalite arm. The beam severed through muscle, tendons, bone. As I watched in horror, half my left arm fell onto the deck, one end burned.

The Human controller who had fired the Dracon was down, Rachel fired half a second after he did, and she was more accurate than he was- the beam went straight through his human chest. I just hoped the Yeerk didn't escape its dying host in time.

With that, the stalemate was broken.

The Hork Bajir and the Leopard charged towards me and I mustered my strength to meet their charge.

The Leopard reached me first. He leaped up towards my chest, but my tail-blade flashed, quick as ever.

The leopard collapsed to my feet, dead.

The Hork Bajir was upon me before I could withdraw my tail blade. The Yeerk apparently decided that brute force was the smarter choice, because he smashed his shoulder into my chest, knocking me off my front hooves. As he did, his wrist and elbow blades slashed across my chest.

Pain.

If he had taken me off my feet completely, it would have been over.

I didn't know what Rachel was up to until right then.

Suddenly, the Bladeship swerved, and the floor went out from under us. The Hork Bajir, me and the other controllers were knocked off our feet.

The once stable surface of the deck was now at an odd angle.

((Whoa, Rachel! What's going on?)) I demanded.

'' I'm a little busy right now!'' She called back.

Busy? Doing what?

((Hey Birdboy.)) Marco's voice. ((I think you'd better say you're prayers. Xena's at the controls right now. And she has that look on her face.))

In that instant, I knew.

I knew what was happening.

So did the Controllers.

((Stop them!)) screamed their commander.

Several of them began to rush onto the bridge. Those that weren't still struggling to regain their balance.

Instinctively, I reached for a flying Dracon gun with my good arm.

 _TSSSEEWWWWWWW_

One of the Controllers saw me. He had kept his Dracon gun with him, and he fired.

Last time the dracon beam had burned off my arm.

This time the hot laser beam burned right through my stomach.

I collapsed onto the ground.

((The Andalite's down, let's go!)) Said one of the Yeerks.

I was down, lying on the deck. Morphed controllers rushed past me, in the hast to get to the bridge.

((Rachel)), I managed to say, ((Look out))

'' I know,'' she said back from the Pilot seat.

And then I felt the Blade-ship bank down and plummet.

((NO!)) Shouted one of the Controllers. ((Stop them!))

I fell towards a platform, lying there. I saw the controllers ahead, regaining balance.

The Hork Bajir controller was still struggling to regain its balance.

My vision was fading. I put my hand to the hole of my stomach. I was weak.

I was done.

Dying.

I heard the sounds of two more Dracon beams, maybe more.

I turned my stalk eyes around, towards the bridge.

Rachel was still piloting. The Controllers were not strapped in like she was. And then I saw what was out the window.

Land, coming at us fast. We had already broken the clouds.

((NOOOO!)) Screamed a Controller as he realized what was happening.

But it was too late.

We were in a nose-dive at over 500 miles per hour.

I saw Jake, Cassie, Marco and Ax from the Viewscreen. I could hear them yelling in thought-speak, at both of us. I couldn't hear them though, over the metallic screeching as the Bladeship plummeted through the air.

Couldn't hear them over the sound of blood pounding in my ears.

The last thing I heard was Rachel's voice, loud and clear: '' Lets Do it!'


	2. Aftermath

**Chapter 6:**

 **Jake:**

None of us said anything. No one moved. I don't think anyone even breathed.

Eyes glued to the view-screen, we watched, in horrified fascination, as the once stable Blade-ship plummeted towards land at hundreds of miles per hour, down, down, down...

 **CRASH**.

I almost closed my eyes as the Blade-ship finally impacted. But I didn't. I watched in terrible awe as the once mighty, formidable alien vessel disintegrated in a split second.

 **FWOOOAM**!

The crash was followed almost instantly by a massive fireball, which erupted and engulfed the wreckage. Even from thousands of feet above ground, I saw the massive fire.

I heard Cassie gasp aloud, even in her wolf morph.

((Holy crash-landing, Amazon)), I heard Marco mutter in awe.

We did it.

One Yeerk Mother-ship captured. One Yeerk Blade-ship a burning wreckage.

Tom was dead. Rachel and Tobias were dead.

And so were thousands of Hork Bajir and Taxxons. Free and controller.

Plus hundreds, if not thousands, of General Doubleday's soldiers.

Plus the Auxiliary Animorphs, who had gone with them to provide the diversionary attack.

Plus 17,000 unhosted Yeerks, flushed into space.

Plus 100 hosted controllers, all annihilated aboard the Blade-ship.

Plus.

Plus.

All at my command.

((Jake))

I didn't respond.

((Jake? It's Toby.))

I finally turned towards Toby Hamee, the free Hork Bajir.

((What is it?))

((The Yeerks wish to speak to you. We've tried to negotiate their surrender but their leader says they'll only speak to you.))

I didn't respond at first.

((Jake, are you alright?))

((Toby...)) Cassie began, ((we lost Tobias and Rachel today.))

Toby absorbed that and said,(( I am sorrowed to hear that. My father, Jara Hamee was slain in battle against the Yeerks.))

I didn't respond.

((Jake? Are you alright?)) asked Cassie. ((Jake, we still need you.))

I snapped out of it. As usual, Cassie was right. There was still work needed to be done. I couldn't think about Rachel and Tobias just yet.

Jake? I need your OK. Their leader says they'll only speak to you to negotiate surrender.

Tom. Rachel. Tobias.

Dead.

I blinked. That could wait. I took a deep breath. Yeah Toby. I'll be right there.

Toby left with a last, curious look at Aximili.

Me, I couldn't look at Ax.. I didn't care if he saw the way I avoided his eyes, I didn't care, I couldn't look at him. I wish to god he had just come after me. Right then. I would have welcomed it.

I had sent his shorm- his newphew- to die, afterall.

((Well well)), I heard another voice.

It was Visser One.

((I suppose now is the time to kill me)), the Visser said in the same weak, dull tone he had earlier, ((You would be doing me a favour. The Council does not approve of Vissers who lose a Pool Ship. Or especially, have his own Blade-ship hijacked and crashed.))

I wasn't feeling quite so merciful. ((Ax)), I said.

He understood. He walked over and struck the Andalite controller with the flat of his tail blade. The Visser slumped unconscious.

((I know you can still hear me in there, Visser. I told him, I'll make this simple: You exit that body. You do it right now because if you don't we're going to cut our way in and yank you out.))

((Cassie? Marco? Find a box, a jar, something to hold this Yeerk in when he emerges. If he doesn't come out within two minutes, do it the hard way.))

((That would be my pleasure,)) Marco said.

And now was the hard part.

((Ax)) I said at last.

He didn't respond at first.

((Ax? I still need you.))

A long pause. Then, ((What do you want now, Jake?))

His voice came out bitter, but tightly controlled.

((We still have work left, Ax man. I need you to dial up the Andalite high command. Tell them to stand by for a communication from me. And open a simultaneous channel directly to the Andalite home world.))

He turned, fixing all four eyes on me.

((For what? Surly victory has been had prince Jake. Surly my people will see that? Why must I contact the home world?))

He was being irrational. I held my patience.

((Because a) We need the fleet to know we've taken the Pool ship and are up for communication, and b) as your _prince,_ I'm ordering you to do so.))

((Yes, like you have ordered my _shorm_ to his death?)) He asked, gratingly.

That cut deep. Ax almost never acted like this. Then again, he had every right to. Tobias had been the human son of his older brother, Elfangor. This had to have a special cut to him.

((Ax, for your peoples sake, and for mine, do what I have commanded you to do!)) I ordered, almost begged.

((Very well. There are of course, regulations. An artisth of my rank is forbidden to contact the home world. Without express permission from my... prince.))

((Very well.)) I demorphed from tiger, and translated thought to spoken word, '' Ax, as your prince, I command you to ignore these regulations and do what I have told you.''

Very well. And with that, he turned and left.

I still had things to do.

* * *

 **Chapter 7:**

 **Marco.**

Ax and I watched fascinated, repulsed, maybe a little triumphant, as the Yeerk crawled slowly from the Andalite ear. I had found a lockable briefcase, a very human artifact stuffed under a control panel. It was filled with chocolate chip cookies.

Some Yeerk, probably a human-Controller, had developed a sweet tooth and it would be hard to get a good cookie on a Yeerk ship. I ate a cookie and held the case open for the slug-like creature that was the true Visser One.

Ax's eyes drilled into the Yeerk. I was not at all sure that Ax wouldn't swing his tail-blade and slash the Visser in half. I wasn't at all sure I'd stop him.

Of all the group, I'm the one with the mentality of a chess player. It's always been my virtue and my failing that I see the clear path from A to Z without the distraction of moral considerations. I have to sort of add the morality back into the equation after the fact.

For that reason, I fully agreed with Jake's decision, to send Tobias and Rachel with Tom. It made perfect strategic sense. I've played chess before.

But then again, Tobias wasn't my _shorm_. He wasn't the human son of my dead brother, for whose memory I had sworn to protect him. I hadn't fought this war to avenge my murdered brother, only to lose his son to my Prince's command at the very end.

Maybe Ax would eventually accept what Jake did. Maybe not. Actually, _accept_ isn't the proper word. Just because Ax might accept Jake's actions wouldn't mean he would privately forgive him.

It was weird. I was watching our greatest foe place himself literally into our hands. We had beaten Visser One.

'' Ax, pick him up.''

Ax looked at the Yeerk, long and hard. Then, ((No.))

And before I could blink, his tail flashed.

THWIIPPPP!

And his tail came away, leaving Esplin 9466 in two pieces.

I opened my mouth to reprimand him, but couldn't. I snapped my mouth shut and shook my head instead.

((Is there a problem?)) Ax asked, almost conversationally.

I shook my head again, at a loss for words.

((Good. Now, I must access the communications array and carry out Jake's orders.))

And with that, he left.


	3. Pyrrhic Victory for Achilles

_**Chapter 8**_

 _ **Cassie**_

* * *

Negotiating with the Andalite High Command turned out to be tougher and longer than we hoped. We almost lost the fight for the means to deliver our terms to the surrendering Yeerks.

I was surprised that even while grieving for his nephew, Ax found the strength to put his own piece into play: long story short, he got the pieces across the board and the terms into our favor. The Andalites were our allies now, not overlords, though it was a close thing. He had to challenge the Andalite Commanding Officer, Captain Asculan's, orders to lay the terms in our favor. The Yeerks and Taxxons would get what was promised to them.

Jake even seemed to forget that Ax had executed the captive Visser without his permission.

Things happened quickly after that. With terms now approved, the Yeerks on the Pool ship formalized their surrender. The Pool ship joined the Andalite fleet in entering close Earth orbit where we contacted the remaining Yeerk ships and gave them their ultimatum : they would die standing or surrender and be transformed permanently.

Some of the Yeerk ships contacted their home world and received instructions to fight back.

But the Andalites had all the technical data of the Pool ship — including disabling codes, combat tactics, communications ciphers.

Caught leaderless, disabled, and suddenly outnumbered, the resisting ships were easily destroyed. The rest of them surrendered. The Yeerk crews were shuttled to the Pool ship where they left their host bodies to return to the now-refilled pool. Newly freed human and Hork-Bajir worked with Andalites to keep the ships flying.

That was a long process as well. Even with the destruction of the Yeerk Pool and the draining of the Pool ship, there were thousands- even tens of thousands- of controllers left. All surrendering, all leaving their hosts for the refilled pool aboard the mother-ship.

We Animorphs and the newly minted Prince Aximili, landed Ax's official liaison ship, a sleek Fast-Courier, right in the middle of the Mall in Washington.

Not a mall, _the Washington Mall_ , an area of open green space with the Capitol Building at one end, the Smithsonian Institution and various government buildings on both sides, and the obelisk of the Washington Monument at the far end.

We called ahead to General Doubleday, telling him to inform Washington of our arrival- we didn't want to cause a massive panic at the sight of an alien vessel touching down.

There were roughly a thousand cops and twice that many news-people waiting for us. It was, as Marco said, a "Media Storm''. Try Blizzard.

A sea of microphones and video cameras and began demanding explanations for what had been happening and where things stood now.

Marco answered about ninety percent of the questions, while the rest were spread between us.

Us, referring to me and Jake. Ax had remained silent for all of five minutes. If he even heard the questions he didn't show it. After that, he had silently turned back and made his way back up his ship's ramp, and it took off minutes later.

He left without a word.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 9:**_

* * *

 _ **Jake**_

 _ **6 days later:**_

It was a duel funeral in every way but one.

The bodies were missing.

Not truly missing. Everyone knew where they were.

Everyone knew their final resting place.

The fire had been put out hours after the Blade-ship's crash. By the time it had been, the once mighty vessel was unrecognizable. They found only small pieces that survived the crash. The majority of the debris melted with the fire.

No bodies, friend or foe, were recovered.

Everyone aboard the Bladeship was confirmed dead. But only a few could be identified, by those who had personally seen them aboard the ship.

Facing my parents was the hardest thing I did. I was responsible for Tom's death. Just as I was for the deaths of Tobias and Rachel. They told me it wasn't my fault. They told me how proud they were of me, how I did the right thing. I couldn't help but feel they were half-hearted. What do you do when your son sends your niece and her boyfriend to kill your other son?

We buried pictures of them in the end.

Rachel was easy. There were so many pictures of her. School photos. Family photos.

We threw a couple of them into the coffin.

But there was one final picture. It had been a photo taken by Marco's camera, on a timer.

It was a photo of all six Animorphs, including Ax, in the Hork Bajir family. With Tobias as a Hawk.

That photo of her represented the war side of her; fearless Xena Warrior princess, as Marco called her.

The school and family photos were the other side of her, the teenage girl who liked to shop for the latest fashion trends.

And we also put a rug into the coffin. A grizzly's fur and skin. It was Marco's idea.

We couldn't find a photo of Tobias at first.

There were no human pictures of him that we knew of. No one, not even Loren, really remembered what he looked like before the war. There were no surviving school pictures. There was the picture of him as a hawk. We buried that picture, but the funeral didn't feel complete.

Then Rachel's younger sister, Jordan came foreword. At the Hork Bajir valley, she once upon a time had some time on her hands and she had discovered Rachel's old camera.

She discovered a photo of Tobias on there. In his human form, a sad look overshadowing a slight smile.

Rachel must have taken it in private.

I fleetingly thought that had Rachel been alive, she probably would have strangled Jordan for digging into her personal items. Probably.

We buried that picture too.

Before the coffins were lowered into the ground, all the Animorphs gave speeches. The President gave a speech. Several Andalites attended the funeral. Even Ax, who had avoided us ever since the day on the Pool Ship, attended, and gave a speech about Rachel and Tobias, and their part in the war.

His words of never meeting braver warriors in all his years among the Andalite Fleet, in particular, stuck to me.

Rachel would have loved it. She would have thought it was over the top, but would have enjoyed the attention anyway.

Tobias, the bird-boy who had gone through hell and back repeatedly during the war, would have wanted to melt into the ground. He could face down a hoard of Hork Bajir Controllers and take torture without breaking, but he could not face crowds. Especially when they had their attention focused on him.

Would have, but there was nothing left of them. Not even ashes to fill an urn.

Neither family had specifically ordered any coffins. They didn't have to.

The coffins meant for Tobias and Rachel were fit for royalty. Complimentary gifts for fallen international heroes.

As I saw them lowered to the ground, I said a few final words.

'' Goodbye, Rachel. You too Tobias. Hope you both find peace wherever you go.''


	4. Rage, tears and nightmares

_**Two Months Later:**_

 ** _Jordan:_**

I found out my sister was dead on TV.

First there was the footage of the the alien spaceship plummeting to the ground, ending in a brutal crash. Then there was the confirmation from my cousin Jake that the other Alien vessel, the 'Pool Ship' he called it, had been taken by the Animorphs.

Then the war had been declared over. A massive Alien vessel touched down, and the victorious Animorphs stepped off. There were four of them.

Three teenage kids. They looked like adults to me. An Andalite. No hawk. Rachel wasn't among them.

After they stepped off the alien vessel, Jake and Marco answered all the questions that the press gave. They told the world how Rachel and Tobias had hijacked the Blade ship and caused it to crash. Sacrifice. Unquestionable courage. Victory.

The world had been saved and my sister was dead.

You know what the weird part was? The worst moment of my life wasn't when I learned what happened to Rachel. The worst moment was the look on my mom's face. The way she broke down.

Mom had lost pretty much everything. The firm she had worked at had been obliterated when the alien slugs went _Hiroshima_ on our town. Our house was obliterated. The banks that held our money was obliterated. And now she lost Rachel.

We had spent the end of the war living in a Valley full of aliens that could turn someone into coleslaw in seconds. Rachel told me stories of how many times they almost killed her. Not the ones in the valley of course. The ones with slugs in her heads. Yeerks, Rachel called them. It sounds like 'Jerks', doesn't it?

Anyway, Mom was devastated. She still is. We're in a hotel now., up in Santa Barbara. None of us wanted to go near our old neighbourhood. Even once they rebuild it, Mom doesn't want to go back.

I don't want to go back either. There's too many memories.

In a way, I'm glad that our house is gone. It means I won't have to walk past Rachel's bedroom ever again.

Past the same bedroom where Sara and I have frequently woken up to the sound of her screaming and trashing in bed. Nightmares almost every night. The bedroom that would be now and forever empty, haunting.

I thought there was something wrong. I knew this wasn't normal. Nightmares every night?

I had no idea that she was having nightmares because she and her friends were caught up in a war against an alien invasion, in which she killed, and was almost killed by, savage aliens capable of slicing a human being in half. I thought maybe she might be losing her mind. Mom blames herself. She doesn't say so but I can see it on her face. There were signs. Nightmares, slipping grades, constant mood swings. She wishes she had seen it earlier. Not what actually happened, no one could have predicted that, but at least something more likely. Drugs. Mental illness.

It's too late for that. For better or for worse.

Our hotel is first-class. Ever since the Animorphs became international heroes, they became multimillionaires instantly.

Because we were the family of one of them, that meant that our family had around $2 million to our name, thanks to donations and government awards and compensations. It didn't matter though. Once Sara blurted out who we were at the hotels reception, we got a complimentary suite- for as long as we wished.

You know, I think the only reason Mom is holding it together and hanging in there, is because of me and Sara. She knows we need her. I don't know how she would cope without us.

Sara was quiet for the first few days. Then she started throwing tantrums. She began demanding the staff books, for movies and video games. ( Complimentary of the Hotel) or anything that could entertain her. She'd throw them out within hours of receiving them- sometimes, right out the window- and demand for new stuff. The staff put up with it. Mom couldn't be bothered to get out of bed some days, never mind putting a stop to Sara's behavior. I think it's because Mom wishes she could do that herself.

We spend the days watching TV. Animorphs this, Yeerks that. Jake the Big Hero of earth. Jake, who sent my sister and her boyfriend on a suicide mission to kills his brother. A mission that was probably far more destructive than he had anticipated.

Once, Sara saw yet another program dedicated to the Animorphs and the Yeerks. Jake was being interviewed over his part in the war. He was far from enthusiastic. He dodged questions that Marco would have happily answered, and would just sit there and brood until another question was asked of him. 'Jake the Yeerk killer' people called him.

At one point, Sara screamed at the TV and kicked over it's side and onto the ground. It was replaced in an hour. That didn't stop me from losing my own temper and locking her in bedroom for the rest of the day. She calmed down after that. Watch out sis, there's a new boss in town.

It helps me get through the day.

I don't know who to be angry at for Rachel. It was Jake who ordered her aboard the vessel, but she was the one who crashed it into the ground. On the other-hand, the Yeerks would have killed her otherwise. But the Controllers are all dead.

I don't know what to think of it.

All I know is that its up to every one of us to pick up the pieces again. If that's even possible.

* * *

 _ **4 months later:**_

 **Jake:**

* * *

Danger.

My spidery senses were tingling with it.

I was in the jungle. I was stalking my prey. Tom was my prey. He didn't know I was there. Tigers are very good at keeping quiet when they want to.

He was armed with a Dracon gun. I was armed with sheer, lethal force and agility.

I was ready for the pounce.

I charged for him.

I took him from behind and he fell flat forewords. He struggled. '' Jake, no Jake don't!'' He begged, but I didn't listen. I couldn't do anything to stop it. My mind was screaming to stop, but my body refused to obey. It only knew hunger.

As part of my mind screamed for it to stop, my tiger form tore out Tom's throat.

Then I heard laughter. Very familiar laughter.

((Well done, Temrash)) Visser One gloated. ((I am pleased you caught the escaping host. I thought it would please you to know we caught the rest of the Andalite Bandits. You may feast.))

((Yes, Visser! Very much so!)) A voice in my head said.

My blood froze. I knew that Yeerk's voice.

((Hello Prince Jake!)) Temrash 114 greeted me, ((We meet again! As you can see, the empire is victorious, and it is all thanks to you!))

My tiger form turned towards the prisoners.

Ax. Marco. Cassie. Tobias.

Rachel.

All unmorphed.

((We have won, Visser Ten!)) Visser One declared, ((And now, we shall celebrate with a feast! We shall feast on these Animorph fools! For your loyalty, you shall have first selection.))

 _HELP!_ I screamed in my mind. _Someone stop them! Get out of here!_

((Resistance is pointless, Prince Jake)), Temrash chided me, ((The Andalite Filth are no more. Now, who shall I snack on first?))

And as me, he leaped towards the bound, unarmed Rachel.

 _NO!_ I screamed in my mind, _No don't do it! STOP! RACHEL! ''_ RACHEL! NO!''

* * *

My eyes shot open, and I bolted out of bed, in combat mode, eyes searching the room for any threat.

When I finally determined that there wasn't any threat to my life, I calmed down and began to breath deeply.

The dream had come again. The same dream I had dreamed for years, only modified as time went by. Ever since that day on the Pool Ship, the dream had changed for the worse.

Visser One never ceased to haunt my dreams. Neither did Temrash 114, the Yeerk that had briefly infested me. They might be dead but that didn't stop them from coming after me. So did Tom and Rachel, ( and to a lesser extent, Tobias) The dream always ends with me-Temrash- lunging in to kill either Rachel or Tobias. Always them.

And every time I woke up, to assure myself the dream wasn't real, I would remember that they really were dead. Tom as well. It's not a good feeling. Especially when it slaps you in the face every few nights, when you are most vulnerable.

I wasn't going back to sleep. That was clear enough. I needed to get outside the house. I quietly went downstairs, and made a pot of coffee. I was planning to properly wake up, and simply get into the car.

Not so fast.

'' Honey?''

Mom.

She emerged from the staircase into the kitchen.

'' Jake?'' she asked, '' Why are you up so early?'' It was four in the morning.

'' Couldn't sleep'', I explained quickly. Ding. The coffee was ready.

I motioned to pour myself a cup and offered some to Mom.

'' Now, why are you up again?'' She asked after sipping some coffee. '' I told you, I couldn't sleep. I'm just going for a little drive.''

'' I know. This has been happening a lot recently.''

'' Well, what has been happening recently isn't normal,'' I pointed out.

She smiled slightly. '' It's Rachel isn't it?'' She asked out of the blue.

I looked up suddenly. '' Why do you think so?''

''Because I was woken up by you shouting her name. For the 3rd time this month. I know you've been carrying her on your shoulders. And her boyfriend... Toby... Tobias. And...'' she couldn't finish the sentence. '' I don't want to talk about it.'' I said stiffly.

'' Listen honey, I know that you had to carry a lot on your shoulders. And for such a long time, you couldn't talk to us about it. But that time has gone. If you want to talk about it, we can talk.''

'' I said I don't want to talk about it. I gotta go.''

She nodded slightly, '' Well if you insist. Drive safely.''

I stared at her.

'' Sorry, '' she apologized sheepishly, '' I just get so used to thinking of you as...'' she drifted off.

'' Bye mom'', I said, and I snatched the keys to my Jaguar car, ( courtesy of Marco), and left through the front door.

I had taken a few driving classes a couple months back. I was legally old enough to drive, and acing the test was beyond easy. I think the test guy deliberately fudged my results, seeing as I was an international hero. In any case, I had a brand new car all to myself.

I was a millionaire. All of us were millionaires. Well, Marco was richer than all of us because he enjoyed the media attention. Governments across the world threw money at us to the point where we had to give in and accept it.

So I had bought my family a new house. Upper-scale suburban area. Far away from our old neighborhood, which was only beginning to undergo the process of rebuilding. The Highway was illuminated in a sea of lights, and the traffic wasn't too heavy. It only took me about 30 minutes to drive to my destination.

The graveyard was technically closed. But that didn't stop the guys at the gate from letting me in. I drove in and parked the car.

The Memorial was in a decent spot, overlooking the ocean from the top of a hill ( and the open sky). I knew they would have liked that.

There were a total of eighteen graves for this memorial. All Animorphs. James's Auxiliary Animorphs, who had died during the diversionary assault on the Yeerk's ground forces.

I didn't come with flowers. I never did. I just made my way up to the site.

Two grave stones crowned all.

 _In joint Memory of Rachel Barenson and Tobias Thorne._

 _War Heroes_

 _Daughter -Son_

 _Sister -Nephew_

 _Cousin_

 _Animorphs_

 _1985-2001 / 1985-2001_

'' Hey guys'', I sat down to face them.

'' So, Xena, Bird Boy. I suppose you want to know whats up? Not much really. Interviews have slowed to a crawl. Marco's gobbling them all up. You know Marco. He's in paradise, what with all the attention and wealth he's got. People are asking me to endorse their products, can you believe that? We're soldiers who fought a war. We're not celebrities, although don't tell Marco that, or he'll kill me. ''

A smile touched my lips. It died instantly.

'' People are asking me to write a book. About the war. Can't they tell I'd much rather not talk about it, never mind write about it? You remember the Chee?'' I cut myself off. As soon as I mentioned the Chee, I thought of Erik, and then my mind went to dark places it really did not want to go.

'' Anyway, their memory is perfect. That's why they abhor violence. How do you cure PTSD if you have an eternally razor sharp memory? I'm trying to forget and these people want to pay me to remember! If Marco wants to write his book, he's my guest. Can you imagine him sitting down to write anything without a lot of groaning and complaining?''

'' Anyway, I don't know if you've noticed, but I haven't morphed in a while. I guess I can't be bothered. Or I'm afraid it will make me remember. Wanna know the Irony? All the trouble I go to forget and it comes right back in my dreams! I guess that's why I'm here right now. ''

Silence.

I smiled. '' Yeah yeah, grow up, tough out, stop being a wuss. Maybe later. ''

'' Anyway, where was I? Oh right, well, the Andalites and Humans are collaborating. They give us Technology and we give them Cinnabuns and junk food. Fair trade, don't you think? Anyway, they're helping us develop space-craft that can go through Zero Space. We'll be going to the stars in three years. Marco says that Starbucks will be setting up shop across the Universe. Do Skrit Na like Coffee? Do the Iskaroot? Who knows?''I shrugged.

'' So yeah. Big days behind, big days ahead. Cassie says hi, by the way. I don't know about Ax.'' I choked up. I looked up to the sky, almost involuntarily.

Nothing.

For a long time, I just sat there, watching the ocean. An hour later, the sun began to rise. I watched it creep up from behind the hills until it began to turn lighter in color.

I got up from my spot, said '' see you guys later,'' and made my way back to the car.

On my way out there, however, I ran into the one person who had sworn to never speak to me again.

He stared at me, his face turning dark with unconcealed cold fury.

'' What are you doing here?'' He asked me.

'' Craig?'' I asked incredulously, '' I'd ask the same of you?''

His jaw tightened. '' I came to visit them. You know, James, Erica, the rest, of them. I came to visit them because I'm the only one who even remembers they even existed!''

That cut deep.

Craig was one of James's lieutenants during the war. Before, he had been just another crippled child, one year younger than me. He had been one of the only three Auxiliary Animorphs to be fully healed by the morphing cube.

He was the only one to survive. That was only because with Tobias on the Blade Ship, I needed someone to play the part of a Taxxon when Tom's Yeerk betrayed us aboard the Pool Ship. Craig got the role. He had acquired a Taxxon morph ( Arbron), and had pretended to devour a virtual image of Cassie, projected by Erik.

He had joined us along when the assault on the Pool Ship commenced, and survived.

He hadn't known that every one of his friends on the ground had been slaughtered by the Pool Ship's Dracon Guns, until after the battle was over. I made sure of that, so he didn't lose it at the wrong time. I had kept him fighting with the Hork Bajir in the Engine room.

But when he finally learned of what happened, why James and Erica and Kelly were not there during Victory Day, he pinned all the blame on me.

Because there was no one else to blame. No one else alive, at least.

'' Do you want to talk about it?" I asked cautiously.

'' Did you even look at their graves or did you just pass them by?'' he asked again. Then he shook his head, '' no, of course you ignored them. You left them to die so you guys could take all the glory.''

'' Look, I'm sorry but I did what I thought I had to do-''

'' Shut up!" he screamed aloud, '' don't say anything. In fact, get out of my face. Go away, drive your big car and enjoy the big spotlight. I have respects to pay, if you don't mind.''

'' You're doing pretty well, '' I reminded him, '' and that's because of me.''

Wrong answer, but I was too strung out to care.

Craig burst out laughing. It was a cold laugh, without humor. '' Should I thank you? Newsflash big Jake; James and Erica and Kelly and Ray and the rest meant more to me than all the money in the world. Unlike you, I actually valued the people in my life. ''

'' You think I don't regret it?'' I shot back, '' Every day I wish I had found a different way, that James and Rachel and the rest would still be alive. I lost people I loved too.''

'' Don't give me your fake apologies. I don't need them. I want something that you can never give back. Now are you leaving or am I gonna have to wait?"'

'' I'm leaving'', I said, and turned away. I was about to open up the car door, when he called out, '' Hey Jake? You want to know something? Don't go begging me for sympathy for Rachel and Birdboy. I don't care about them anymore than you cared about my family.''

That struck deep. I swallowed bile, and climbed into the car without a word.


End file.
